KHR Themes
by Blue Quartz Foxy
Summary: A collection of one shots for character pieces, shipping ficlets and bits of crack humor. Chrome Dokuro addresses letters to herself. Or rather the 'self' who will read them ten years in the future.
1. Dog Person and Cat Person

KHR Themes

Notes: This will be a collection of short ficlets for the Hitman Reborn series. These stray ficlets will mostly be pairing oriented, but I'll try to have some humor, friendship, and general fan fics in the mix as well. Most of these prompts will be taken from various Live journal communities, but feel free to drop me some pairing (hetero only please) and prompt/theme suggestions in the review box. Please read and enjoy.

Disclaimer: All rights to Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira Amano.

Title: Dog Person and Cat Person

Theme: 45 Animal (Table 1) from 100_situations

Rating: PG

Characters: Chrome, Yamamoto, Box Animals and mention of the Ninth Rain and Mist Guardians (possible YamaChrome if you squint)

Setting: Post Shimon arc- so possible spoilers if you aren't up to date with the Shimon arc

Chrome was surprised to learn 'he' was meant to be her final test. Uncertain of the choice, the girl directed her gaze to the tall dark-skinned man who had served as her mentor for this training period.

Bounche Croquant stared down his nose at the girl, who bit her bottom lip then timidly looked away. Arms crossed over his broad chest, Bounche observed his comrade Schnitten spar with Yamamoto.

"He'll be your challenge…" he began as Yamamoto gave a broad upswing of his sword, only to change hands at the last minute, knocking the Ninth Rain Guardian back.

"Because he can adapt quickly to situations, therefore your job will be to addle his senses to slow him down."

Chrome took a step back, the start of a retreat; "But…"

"Not today, but soon. You're still not ready." Bounche instructed before he turned to leave. Chrome gave one last glance to the swordsmen before following behind the other Mist Guardian.

"So my opponent will be Chrome?" Takeshi repeated. Sitting across from him Schnitten nodded, patting his gelled hair down, "Eventually. Bounche wants to give her a little more time before you two actually face off."

"Ah…" Takeshi uttered, a troubled look crossing his features before taking a sip of water. "Do you two not get along?" Schnitten inquired, scratching the x-shaped scar on his cheek while waiting for his student's response.

"Not exactly...I really don't know a lot about Chrome to agree or disagree with her."

The other man smiled, "That's the Mist for you. Enigmatic and kind of arrogant in that way."

The younger of the swordsmen thought about the assessment, "I could be wrong, but I don't think Chrome avoids people because she's arrogant. Shy…maybe."

"Don't think about it too much, Takeshi" Schnitten advised. "You'll learn soon enough, people have their roles to fulfill and usually you can read a person's character by what part they play in the grander scheme of things."

Although Takeshi had learned a lot from the older Rain Guardian, he couldn't wholeheartedly agree about the roles of the Guardians defining them.

In between their studies and practice with their mentors, Chrome managed to slip away and find a quiet space in the gardens of the Vongola manor. They had been living in Italy for two months, pretty much studying all the things they should have learned in school during the time they were fixing the Future or engaged in conflicts. Along with their academics though, classes concerning Italy's language, culture, and history; on top of training with the Ninth Guardians.

Chrome started feeling homesick and it grew more and more every day. Granted, she really didn't have a home to return to or people waiting on her since Ken and Chikusa didn't even seem to care she was leaving them behind; Chrome still had moments where she wanted to go back to Japan.

Thinking she could afford a distraction, something to take her thoughts off the two boys and the abandoned amusement park; Chrome opened the book she brought out and started to read. However, an interruption jolted her into alertness when something landed on the ground with a 'thud' then rolled along the grass to her feet.

Chrome peered over the backing of her book, looking down at the ball resting by her left ankle.

"Where did this come from…" she started to ask, bending down to reach for the toy until a dog with short light brown and white fur came bounding up and took the ball.

Chrome blinked as the puppy grunted around the ball in its mouth, curled tail twitching in excitement. The dog had an enormous metal collar with blue jewels hanging off and a sash tied around its stocky middle, three swords sheathes attached to the sash.

The dog dropped the ball at Chrome's shoes before sitting down, blue eyes looking up expectantly at the girl while the curled tail resumed wiggling in anticipation.

Chrome hesitated for a moment before grabbing the ball. Pulling her arm back, Chrome threw it as far as she could; it arched and landed in a hedge only to pop back out and roll. The akita eagerly took off after it and turned right around to bring it back to Chrome, trotting proudly with the ball clenched between canine teeth.

When the ball plopped on top of her shoes again, Chrome figured her book would have to wait until the creature in front of her was worn out.

Two more ball tosses, then Chrome heard someone calling out to the dog.

"Jirou!" 'That's right…it's one of Yamamoto's Box Animal.' Chrome recalled. She had only seen it once during their time in Future Namimori. Sure enough, the Rain Guardian appeared at the entrance of the hedge maze.

Brown eyes blinked as he spied Chrome holding Jirou's toy. "Oh, now I see. You ran off to find a pretty girl to play fetch with you instead. Guess I'm not good enough, huh?" he asked while kneeling in the grass to teasingly ruffle the dog's short fur.

Chrome blushed at being called 'pretty', only to tell herself it was all a joke. Rising up from the patio bench, she extended the ball to Jirou's owner.

"He…he wouldn't leave me alone until I threw it a couple of times" she explained, as if feeling there had to be a reason for her being in the animal's company.

"That's alright. I figured he ran off because this little guy hates training seriously. Normally I have to keep throwing the ball until my arms are sore just to tire him out." Takeshi replied with a smile, his hands rubbing the dog's ears once more before standing up to take the ball from Chrome.

"Thank you." Once Takeshi had the ball, Jirou panted and wiggled his tail, leaning up on his master's knees to beg for a long toss. The baseball player didn't disappoint and sent the ball sailing through the air, which the akita inu darted after.

The teenagers took a moment to watch Jirou before Chrome turned to the Rain Guardian.

"Um…Bounche-sa…Bounche mentioned we would spar together at some point." Takeshi nodded in response, "Yeah, my mentor told me that too."

"I'm not sure if it's a good idea." Chrome confessed. "Hm? How so? Are you afraid I'll hurt you on purpose?"

Chrome blinked then waved her hands, "N-no. I know that you would never do something like that, Yamamoto."

"Takeshi," he corrected. Chrome pursed her lips for a moment, looking uncertain. "Come on, everyone calls you 'Chrome'. It's only fair, right?" he asked, hands tucked behind his head.

"I guess…" she muttered though still looking unsure. "I know you're not the kind of person who'd…go out of his way to harm someone."

"Neither are you. Now that it's clear we won't kill each other, try not to worry about it so much, okay?" Takeshi asked.

"I wasn't…" Chrome sighed; she didn't know how to phrase what she wanted to say. "I don't want to be a disappointment or slow down your progress."

"So long as you go all out, no one can say you're a disappointment." Takeshi replied, trying his best to bolster confidence in the girl.

At that moment Jirou returned and dropped the ball to Chrome again. "Ah no fair, you're stealing my dog from me, Chrome" the Rain Guardian teased.

Chrome felt a little embarrassed, "It wasn't my intention…" she offered the ball for Takeshi to throw but the boy shook his head.

"Nah, you do the honors."

Chrome tossed the ball out beyond the entrance to the hedges and into a field. After Jirou gave chase and rolled around in the grass with the ball, Chrome turned in time to catch Takeshi quietly observing her.

Not knowing why, the girl felt her cheeks grow warm before looking away. "I think…Chrome is a cat person" the swordsman commented.

A violet colored eye blinked, "I like cats, but dogs are fine with me too."

Takeshi crossed arms over his chest, looking serious and shaking his head. "That's no good though. You have to be one or the other. Dogs can sense it when people like cats more. You're going to break Jirou's heart once he figures it out."

"He's your dog though." Chrome protested just as the animal in question trotted up to the two humans and glanced back and forth to its master and the newcomer.

Kneeling on the grass again, fingers running over the Akita's short yet thick fur, Takeshi explained, "Ownership is kind of like a foul ball. Doesn't really count, because if a dog likes someone more than his master, they like that person."

Chrome didn't quite get the baseball analogy, yet she remembered Gokudera-san one time complaining about how everything equated- in some fashion or another- to baseball with the Rain.

"I…guess."

"Here, I'll show you. Hey Jirou…"

The dog perked its ears, head cocked to one side, full attention directed at the teenage boy. "Who do you like more?" Takeshi pointed to himself, "Me?" Then directed to Chrome, "Or her?"

A momentary pause, then the puppy rose up and walked over to Chrome before flopping down at her side.

"Well that settles it. He picks you."

'What a strange afternoon.' Chrome mused once it was time for her and Yamamoto to head their separate ways. Jirou followed her a little while, but eventually returned to the Rain's side.

Whether it was his intention or not, Chrome felt a little bit better about their impending fight. She wad determined to try hard and make it challenging for Takeshi when the time came.

Once the Mist Guardian entered the manor, Takeshi patted Jirou's head before praising him, "Good boy."

Notes: Not really shippy I know, more like a sort of friendship…maybe hopes for more in the future. Anyway, please submit ships, characters, and themes/prompts for me to do next. Only limitation I have is no shounen ai/shoujo ai- hetero ships only please. Thanks for reading!


	2. Tricking a Trickster

Title: Tricking a Trickster

Theme: Pregnant

Rating: PG

Characters: Luce, Viper, mention of Reborn and the other Arcobaleno

Setting: Before they were cursed –time line is kind of skewed though since we don't know 'exactly' when they were all cursed as infants.

For: Lizz1735

Viper wasn't one who's easily impressed. He had seen all the charlatans the world offered. The con-artists, the fraud fortune tellers and the phony psychics; he had seen them all and exposed them for all they were worth, only to take up their snake-oil trade for his own the very next day.

No loyalty among thieves and gullible public gave him money hand over fists when Viper showed them all what 'real' magic looks like. In hindsight, Viper realized maybe he had done a 'too good' a job of making a name and money for himself. Because his names in lights is how she found him.

She walked in with guards by her side and a smile. Viper hated Luce the very moment she opened her mouth.

"Beautiful dressing room, spacious too. Bigger than most apartments I would say" she said gently, yet without regard for the door her people just destroyed in order to let Luce inside.

"…is there any reason why you've decided to have your thugs break down the door to my 'beautiful' dressing room?" he asked tersely, not in a mood to be trifled with.

The raven haired woman delicately cleared her throat, shooing away the bulky bodyguards so they could talk in private, or at least as much privacy as a broken doorway would allow. "I wanted to speak with you again, Viper. I understand we put you in a tough spot last time, I take full responsibility. However, you have to understand, it's not just us but the entire world which is in dire straights."

Before Luce could open her mouth again, Viper cut the young woman off, "To make this short and sweet, my answer is, and will forever remain; no. I refuse to risk my life for something which offers no reward. Find someone who wants to suffer and die for a cause, I'm not that person."

A subtle tightening of her jaw was the only sign of her being displeased by his response; the display was brief and quickly replaced by a sweet and serene smile.

"I see." Yards of pure white fabric of her robe rippled, train dragging along Prussian rugs. "I do hope you will reconsider Viper. We could really use someone like you."

He scoffed, "If you knew me, you'd want to arrest me Luce. Not add to your little superhero team."

Her gentle smile appeared again, "Perhaps. However, we need only the best, so one can't be too picky."

Then Luce breezed out of his dressing room to rejoin her bodyguards. Gritting his teeth, Viper leaned out of the doorway, "I mean it! My answer is no! So stop sending your cronies and that bastard Reborn. And while we're on the subject, keep yourself away from my theatre. Next time, I'll have you thrown out." Viper warned.

"Of course, of course" she said with a laugh as if Viper had told a funny joke instead of threatening her.

'Idiot woman' Viper thought venomously as he stepped off the stage. He could have sworn he saw Luce's face in the crowd and the shock nearly threw off his illusion. When he came out for the obligatory encore, Viper's gaze from underneath the shadow of his black hood drifted back to the spot he remembered seeing Luce. Only to find it empty.

'Wow, some disappearing act. Didn't see that coming at all' the illusionist thought with a roll of his eyes.

After the applause, Viper turned to enter his dressing room with the cash box from ticket sales tucked under his right arm. Newly repaired door clicked open with the turn of a key and then locked again behind him, after all Viper didn't want anyone to disturb him as he counted up the cash- wouldn't do good if the stage hands and ushers knew they were being cheated off the profits.

Placing the cash box down, Viper raised his hands to push back the cloak so he could see, only to stop short of doing so when he sensed another presence in the room.

A heavy sigh, "Can't I just count my profits in peace. Why do you idiots have to keep sticking your noses into my business?"

The exasperated illusionist heard a light 'clatter' of a china cup and smelled the bitter aroma of brewing coffee. From the corner of his eye Viper could see a person sitting on the sofa Luce occupied not but two weeks ago. Even after his strict warning though, Reborn had broken in, and re-locked the door so as it didn't look suspicious while at the same time taking liberty of the espresso machine and china.

'I'd almost prefer it if he had riddled it with bullet holes or tore it off the hinges like Luce's thugs did, over this.' Viper thought sourly. After all for being a trickster, he for one did not like being deceived.

"Did you at least leave some for me?" Viper inquired. No sense quarreling unless Reborn started preaching the same 'for the greater good' nonsense as Luce.

Viper actually admired the hit man a little. He wasn't impressed by Luce's motherly approach, even refusing her cookies. Only at first though. Lately, it seemed to Viper that the man behind him had become Luce's lapdog.

"I didn't come here to for a social visit." Reborn uttered before taking another sip, his hat perched on spiked back jet-black hair and the brim down to cover his eyes.

"And yet you help yourself to my china, coffee beans, and espresso maker." Viper replied, voice dripping in distain. "I'm beginning to think I need to start charging for your and Luce's visits."

Reborn placed the china cup down again, "She came here?"

"Well yeah. And she sent you not even fourteen days afterwards."

A long pause followed, "…so, you were the last to see her. Just as I thought"

"What?" Viper asked.

Reborn tilted his head up, "Luce has been missing for thirteen days."

Viper canceled a week's worth of shows. It wasn't his intention to go missing for more than a few days, yet since Luce's villa was too far removed to even be considered countryside –more like the middle of nowhere- the illusionist wasn't even sure what he'd find.

The days he wasted traveling passed by like a fever dream. Lacking appetite and sleepless, Viper's mind turned over to the grimmest, foul and grisly images which made his stomach churned. She was all alone, because Reborn said the woman abdicated her position as Giglio Nero's Boss. She wouldn't have any bodyguards or anyone around to know what happened to her in that old summer villa.

Viper arrived to find the front doors unlocked. Cursing the woman for her idiocy- she might not be a mafia boss anymore but there still might be enemy families and assassins after her- Viper levitated from room to room, feet barely touching the ground as he moved from the main floor to the second and third. Empty. Anywhere he looked; there wasn't a trace of a living soul.

His throat constricted. Stupid. Idiot. Did she not even think about the dangers of being without at least one guard?

'It would be just like her to say 'I wouldn't want to bother anyone just because I wanted to get away.' Viper thought as his breath ran hot yet his blood was gradually turning cold. Maybe he had missed something. A room left untouched. And God only knew if this old hideout had tunnels or not.

About to search the house again, this time willing to over turn things if he had to; Viper was shocked to see the front door open. He wasn't the only person stunned though. Because standing in the door was none other than Luce, staring at Viper as if the hooded man had gone mad.

"…I'll kill him." Viper muttered into his tea cup, which absorbed his promises of murder while wafting steam.

Luce tried not to giggle, amusement aside she had to admit Reborn did play a very dirty trick on both herself and Viper. Namely for claiming she was emotionally distraught and such a hopeless basket case. And secondly for sending Viper on a wild goose chase.

'What would have happened if I hadn't arrived?' she wondered with a glance to Viper- who was still conspiring with the Earl Gray as to how to take out a legendary hit man.

'Probably nothing at all' Luce thought. She assumed Viper might have taken some 'mementos' from her place if he really thought she was missing or dead.

However, she had second thoughts a moment later. For when Luce asked Viper if he'd like some sugar with his tea, the man pinned her with a glare –or what she assumed to be one since his eyes were mostly hidden- before blurting out: "Don't you do something so stupid ever again! You need a guard with you at all times, even if you're no longer a mafia boss, you're OUR boss!"

Easing back, a little shocked by such a passionate outburst from such a calm and detached man; Luce's lips twitched into a smile.

"I see. So you do care."

"I don't care about you!" Viper defended, "You're the one who signs my paycheck for those stupid assignments. If you're gone, there's no one to dole out the dough."

"Ah, of course" Luce mused, thought didn't sound completely convinced of Viper's excuse.

After a few minutes of them sharing tea, although Viper mostly let his cool without taking so much as a sip; the illusionist posed a question.

"Why did you quit the Giglio Nero?"

Blue eyes blinked slowly, "Oh, so Reborn told you about that." Luce said, "Well…" she considered for a moment, "it's complicated and I'd rather not bore you."

Viper could easily tell he was getting the brush off and didn't like it.

"You're our Boss. If it's something about your health that makes you unable to carry out your duties, we need to know." Viper quipped.

"Hm…I'm not deathly ill if that's what's your imply." Viper hummed and took a sip of luke-warm tea, yet Luce wasn't finished explaining herself.

"Actually, I'm the picture of health according to my doctor. Which is a very good thing considering I'm about four months pregnant."

Viper nearly choked on tea. He made a great effort to swallow the liquid, trying to keep his hands steady, yet the tea cup rattled nevertheless.

"Hm? Is something wrong?"

Viper didn't answer right away. He didn't know where to start first. 'Who's the father?' would be a rude and straight forward question and the illusionist was sure it'd somehow get twisted around to sound like jealousy.

He wasn't jealous! Who'd want to be tied down to any woman and saddled with a kid anyway? Both would be costly, the baby more so since they'd need just about everything and would be constantly growing.

"Ah, I've never seen your mouth twitch like that." Luce observed, "Kind of cute."

'Cute?' Viper's mind turned back to something random, back when their group first joined together.

'Your sideburns are very cute.' She had said that to Reborn. Viper felt his windpipe clench.

"So…that's how you tamed the legendary hit man."

Luce blinked, "Pardon?" "You seduced him." Viper spat out, though not sure why he felt angry at this revolution. It made sense of course. She seemed so sweet and pure, but Luce is…was a mafia boss and a rather witty woman.

If she couldn't get the wild card to eat from her hand right away, perhaps Luce enticed him by offering sexual favors.

'No. No she wouldn't do that.' Viper thought, yet at the same time saw the relationship between the Sky and Sun in a whole new light. Suddenly, their friendship didn't seem so sudden nor did the constant flirting seem out of place.

"Why?"

Luce shrugged, "Why what?" Viper barely withheld the urge to ask her why Luce would put up with a 'parasite' for nine months living inside her own body. Getting personal wouldn't get him any answers.

"Why are you still going to go through with the…process? You're only claim to fame before being turned into an infant is having a baby. People will only remember how you were because of a rounded middle and a squalling infant, before you yourself become one."

She smiled, "You make it sound like that is such a terrible legacy to leave behind."

"Because it is" Viper shot back, "You could do…so much in this world before carrying its burden. Or at least let everyone know you're sacrificing a lot to help them. Yet…you're going to spend this time sitting around, getting fatter and rounder, only to squeeze a kid out."

Luce laughed, "Viper doesn't have a very rosy depiction of childbirth and motherhood."

"Of course not, it's a waste of time. And who's going to raise the brat? You obviously can't. Never mind your child will be horrified…and ashamed of you for being the same age if not forever younger than them."

Luce nodded, "I've already thought about it, Viper."

"Not hard enough though or you wouldn't have been so eager to go on this 'save the world crusade'."

The young woman shook her head, "You've got it all wrong, Viper. I choose to help protect this world…" her right hand rested on a long white dress, the starting swell of her belly just barely visible underneath all the fabric.

"Because of her, I want to protect this world. I want her to grow up healthy and happy. She can't do that when the world is threatening to tilt on its head any given day."

Viper was about to counter with: the kid's life would be miserable as hell since she'd think her mother was some kind of freak.

However, Luce beat him to the punch in terms of verbal blows, "What does Viper want to protect?"

"I want to earn money." Viper replied without missing a beat. Luce nodded, "I know what you're constant goal is. Money will always be around though. Or at least…some form of currency. I'm talking about…something precious. Something no one else can have. What do you want to protect?"

He left Luce's villa without answering her question. Instead, Viper gave some bullshit about needing to head back into civilization because he had a show to do, when actually the theater was closed another three days.

Yet even without an audience to appease or money to collect, Viper found himself standing on the empty stage. On the journey back, Viper tried not to think about Luce, the panic which rose up in him when he couldn't find her anywhere in that house or her baby.

"What I want to protect…what a joke. Everything is temporary, only money lasts longer than anything." Viper told the empty chairs, sounding more like a Shakespeare soliloquy deliverer than a 'magician'.

Luce, Reborn and the rest of their 'group' left him alone after his visit to the Boss's villa. Viper figured they were all getting their affairs in order for the 'big day'. He especially avoided Luce. Babies were so bizarre to him, almost like alien creatures with their wrinkled red faces, wide and large eyes and big heads, so Viper wanted to stay as far away as possible should 'the brat' suddenly pop out of her middle.

He hadn't even thought about coming to the last meeting before they would march off to be living-martyrs.

'I'll bet he's there.' Viper thought as he rolled over on a wide bed draped in green satin sheets. "He's probably smirking like a proud idiot father, cooing over the baby. The world's greatest hit man becomes the biggest dope in the face of his kid" the illusionist muttered.

Yet, he didn't feel embittered. No. Not him.

"You okay?" Fon asked, backtracking a few steps to the young woman. Luce fought down the urge to wince. Hiking up a mountain side after delivering a daughter a few days ago was not one of her better ideas.

They didn't have any choice in the matter though. It was time.

"We're still missing Viper." Skull whimpered, "What if he doesn't come?"

"Then we have failed." Verde replied bluntly, hands tucked inside his white lab coat pockets. The only other female, Lal Mirch, was silent and seemed nervous. Meanwhile, Reborn led the pack without a problem.

Luce grinned and bore it, gently shooing Fon's arm away. "It's fine. I'll tail behind for a little while but still reach the top with everyone else. Please don't worry about me."

Despite her assurances, the Chinese martial artist walked not but two steps ahead of Luce.

'I'm sorry…' she thought while looking at the back of everyone's head. 'I failed to get Viper to join us. Hopefully just the six of us will be enough.'

As the climb got steeper, Luce started to feel dizzy. She leaned over to her right, gripping the craggy rock face to support herself while breathing in deeply.

"Honestly, could you be any more pathetic?" a voice behind her asked. Luce blinked then looked over her shoulder only to find the path beyond her devoid of life.

"Up here."

Tilting her head, Luce smiled around the pain in her trembling legs and shortness of breath to the floating illusionist.

"Glad you decided to come, Viper."

He snorted before alighting on the path, black robes falling around his feet.

"Well, I can't let the six of your names go down in history without me. After all, Arcobaleno Viper has a nice ring to it. Think of all the money my magic show can pull in if I sounded more exotic and important."

Luce eased off the side of the mountain, winced a little as she stood firmly on two feet again.

"So, have you decided what you'll sacrifice for?"

Viper kept his mouth shut, instead he pulled Luce forward, "Come on. You'd better start moving. The sooner we get up the mountain, the sooner we get this over with."

Luce didn't let it slip past her notice Viper's hand wouldn't let go no matter how many times they had to stop for her to rest or even when they reached the pinnacle of the mountain.

'I'm glad you came' she mouthed to the holder of the indigo pacifier as they arranged in a circle.

Before she could see his reply, whether Viper would outright ignore or mock her; a blinding light enveloped them all.

Notes: Phew. This was kind of difficult since other than Viper's greed, not much is known about his personality or what he was like before being turned into a baby- yet that could be said for the others too. Anyway, thanks for reading!

Concerning requests: Please submit characters and/or hetero-ships you'd like to see me try next via review or PM. Thank you.


	3. Martyr Without A Cause

KHR Themes

Title: Martyr Without A Cause

Theme: Devotion

Rating: PG-13/T

Pairing: Mukuro/Chrome –kind of-

For: Allimassy

Summary: Shimon arc spoilers.

He knew from the moment they met, Mukuro had found his perfect vessel. So obedient and when he healed her body, the girl looked at him as if he was some sort of God. With one look, Mukuro could tell. Nagi would follow him to the ends of the Earth if he asked.

She would only be temporary though, he told himself; because even with the illusionary organs the girl was weak and underdeveloped in terms of strength.

Still, he couldn't have asked for a better host. Aside from their occasional conversations to ease loneliness from her soul, Nagi asked for very little. Strange that. Usually his hosts were so demanding. Still others like Lancia; lost their ever loving minds when they woke up to find their body had done something while the person was unconscious.

The first time he 'borrowed' Nagi's body without her permission, the girl found herself staring at a dead body while standing in an empty street in the middle of the night. Mukuro lingered at the edges of the girl's consciousness, waiting for the screaming, vomiting or silent terror.

She did none of these things. The girl simply pushed on the trident to stand up, staggering away from the stranger's corpse to find a park water fountain faucet to wash blood stains off a green skirt.

Intrigued by her lack of response, Mukuro coaxed Nagi back to the meadow they first met.

"You don't have to try to act so brave, Nagi" he said lightly. "Death is never a pretty sight. Murder is even worse."

He hadn't lied to her about his reputation, but Mukuro would be the first to admit he wasn't forth coming about it either. His excuse being: she never asked.

It didn't take Nagi long to piece it together though.

"You said…you're in prison…is it because you killed people?"

Mukuro smirked, "If I said 'yes', would you scream?" Nagi shrugged. Again, her lack of emotion was interesting to him.

Her left eye blinked owlishly, lips pursing as the thirteen year old mulled over the possibility of sharing her body with a murderer.

"…never mind."

"Why? Are you no longer curious?" Mukuro prodded. Nagi played with the left strap to her white dress, "No. It just doesn't matter to me…I suppose."

This struck him as beyond odd. Her serenity in the face of the unknown had gone from being a boon for Mukuro and his purpose to being troublesome.

"What if…" he began, keeping his tone as light as possible, "I decided that I've grown tired of you and rob you of your organs. For no reason other than I can."

She blinked again. "Just a hypothetical situation, Nagi. I'd never do that to you." Mukuro assured with chuckle.

A long stretch of silence followed, Nagi looking away while plucking grass blades from his illusionary world.

"…if taking away my organs would help Mukuro-sama, I would understand."

It felt like a fist had caught him in the gut. At first, Mukuro couldn't grasp why it bothered him so much. Before Nagi, he used others bodies as his weapons. A human body was only around as long as it was useful. If the body was unable to carry on he'd hop to another host without a problem or sense of guilt.

This was a first though: a host who didn't care what happened to her body.

"Well, what do you think?" he inquired long after Iemitsu Sawada left, leaving in Nagi's hand half of a Mist Ring.

"It's…" she turned it over in her hand and held it up to the 'sunlight', looking at the gleaming silver, pad of her thumb tracing over the broken emblem before sliding it on her left ring finger. Like an engagement ring or wedding band. Maybe that trend hadn't caught on in Japan, so most likely Nagi was none the wiser as to the significance of a ring on the left hand.

Either way Mukuro snickered, but didn't bother to correct her, even if his stomach soured at the thought of her actually being 'married' to the Mafia.

The girl examined the ring, only to lower hand and allowed the half-ring to drop onto her lap.

"It's too big."

"Well, it is meant for a man's ring finger." 'It was meant for me', went without saying. Nagi was well aware her power came from him, not the other way around.

Still, a momentary look of dejection crossed her honest face.

He didn't like that look, so Mukuro surprised the girl by wrapping his arms around Nagi's middle and drawing her to his side.

"You're still important Nagi. You'll be my proxy until it's time for my release." Because he was getting out of Vendicare, it might take years; but Mukuro would not be contained forever.

The illusionist didn't have to look to tell the girl was blushing. Her body language as a whole radiated embarrassment. Nagi squirmed and struggled in his embrace, her heart hammering inside its glass-bone ribcage. The girl did not like being held, yet Mukuro kept his arms around Nagi until she settled down long enough to listen.

"You exist to serve my purposes Nagi. For now, that means cooperating with the mafia" his lips curled into a disgusted sneer behind the girl's hair- so she wouldn't see.

"One day though, you will be instrumental in bringing them down." No one suspect a frail little girl with a sob-story past. Just like no one saw it coming when a loyal-to a fault mafaiso to kill his own family, Mukuro really knew how to pick his 'vessels'.

The unexpected and unassuming, the loyal backstabber and the frail mind-reaper: both under his control, yet the two couldn't be more different.

When time came for her to fight, Mukuro could already tell Nagi wouldn't win and the Vongola family were in dire straights and needed this win.

'Time for you to tap out Nagi' he said just as the girl used her power to create pillars of fire and the 'baby' emerged unscathed. Mukuro could tell their opponent was readying an illusion to over take the girl's.

Yet, she refused. Nagi built up a block, preventing him from taking over her body right that instant.

'When did she…' he wondered. The block was easily torn down, only for him to find another. Barrier after barrier, mental block after block, becoming annoyed Mukuro almost forced himself to emerge through her.

'No. I don't want him to hurt you, Mukuro-sama.' Nagi told him, trying to sound stern but her inner voice was quaking from pain and fear.

Were this less serious- the trident shattered and she was wasting away internally- Mukuro would have laughed and mocked her foolishness before forcing himself through and ending the match quickly.

Instead, he pushed his consciousness first and foremost, letting Nagi sit back and recover. Mukuro's form overtook hers, a burst of energy all his own. It felt 'good' to have use of limbs again, even if was only for a little while since her strength was fading fast.

When the fight was over and done with, Mukuro's one regret- out of so many- was that he let the brat escape with his cowardly life.

Nagi would have a difficult time recovering and he'd have to sleep for awhile to regain strength as well. All of this…for some stupid ring. A symbol of belonging to a mafia, the one thing he despised more than anything. What a big joke.

Staggering, Mukuro looked the wide-eyed boy in the eye. His future 'boss', yet he was no older than Nagi and looked more fearful than the girl at the prospect at being a cog in the Underworld. This doe-eyed kid was the one who bested him too.

'What…a pathetic and cosmic joke…'was his last thought before letting Nagi have her body back.

"He's scary…" Nagi suddenly said one day, out of the blue a few days after Tsunayoshi won his battle against Xanxus.

"Who?" Mukuro inquired, but he already knew. "…the one with the Cloud Ring." Nagi mumbled, proving the other Mist Guardian right.

"Ah, you mean Hibari-kun. Yes, he's terrifying. You don't ever want to be alone with him, Nagi."

Her wide gaze turned to him, terror canceling out curiosity. Good. The less she hung out with Tsuna's little family, the better.

And not a day after Mukuro's resolve to protect Nagi from fraternizing with Tsuna and his budding mafia, she vanished.

Mukuro wasn't one to panic. He epitomized the concept of 'been there, done that'. Nevertheless, it was disconcerting when he couldn't feel the girl's presence; usually he was the one who withdrew, not the other way around.

He started to worry when it became clear to Mukuro he could only hear silence from her end. No heart beat or voice. And possessing her body was impossible. Something stronger than Nagi's amateurish attempts to block him from her body was preventing Mukuro from possessing the girl.

Eventually Nagi returned. And she came with quite a story to tell, because what had been the longest day of his life had actually amounted to nearly four months in her lifetime.

"Ten years in the future…hm, you don't say." Mukuro mused after Nagi fell back on the grass, breathless from all the talking. He was more than a little tickled by her gushing fountain of non-stop self-dialogue.

Rarely was the girl this excited, so everything came out in a rush and very disjointed. Mukuro waited for the girl in the grass to collect herself before asking questions.

He was getting the picture gradually. Images which felt like memories, yet without him being present to witness it first hand, coming to him in installments and gaining clarity as he connected them to Nagi's tale.

Nagi rolled onto her stomach, luckily in this world there was no such thing as dirt or grass stains, otherwise her white dress would have been ruined.

"In ten years…you're free from Vendicare" she said, eye shining with a look he could only describe as hope. Mukuro had to look away. This girl…he was her world and sometimes Nagi's open admiration and trust was too much for him to shoulder.

"Ten years…that seems like a life time away." Mukuro said with a smirk, not having the heart to tell Nagi that since they changed the future, his fate and that of his future self might not align. Besides, he wouldn't put it past the mafia to stick him right back in Vendicare after he helped save the world.

No. He wouldn't put it past them to back stab him in such a despicable manner after sacrificing his own well being.

"…everyone was…surprisingly nice to me."

"That's nice." Mukuro said off-handedly, feeling a touch bitter and wrapped in his own thoughts to bother with anything else Nagi had to tell him.

Ten years? Granted, he was patient but that seemed too far in the distance. Then again, he wasn't being very proactive about getting out at the moment.

Maybe, it was time to change that.

In retrospect, Mukuro realized it was a mistake to ignore Nagi's new found admiration and fond feelings for the Guardians and Tsuna.

He was roused out of 'sleep' to have Nagi pulling him, not the other way around; into their field.

She was sobbing and trembling all over. In between sleep and consciousness, he could only stare dumbly as the tears flowed.

"I don't…I don't know what to do…I can't…" her breathing was staggered. Climbing higher and higher and hysterics creeping into Nagi's voice between sobbing, unable to do anything else, Mukuro opened his arms and let the girl cry into his chest until exhausted.

"What happened?" he was finally able to ask.

"Yamamoto-san…he's…all tore up."

Mukuro wondered what was wrong with him. He felt no joy as the prospect of a mafia member dying. Maybe Nagi's foolish sentiments were rubbing off on him.

"I don't want him to die…" Nagi confessed, her voice sounded so pained Mukuro had to stop himself from giving in to comfort her. He'd have to pull away and detach himself from this situation.

Even if Nagi valued this person, Yamamoto was still a mafia member. And Mukuro refused to help the Vongola anymore. Not until they got him out of Vendicare.

"They want me to help…" she sniffled. Pausing to rub tears off her cheeks, Nagi began anew "I have to make an illusionary Yamamoto-san for the ceremony. I'll need your help Mukuro-sama."

"No" Mukuro replied. He didn't have to think about it. The sooner Nagi realized the Vongola were only using her, until they deemed she wasn't worth the effort; the better off they'd both be.

He wasn't going to lend his help making a copy of this boy. No matter how much she cried or begged him.

Instead, Nagi pulled away.

"…okay" she whispered then quietly withdrew out of their world.

Mukuro disconnected from Nagi. Some might call it 'sulking'; he'd call it 'sticking to principles'.

He refused to take part in a mafia ceremony. Idly, Mukuro wondered how she did with the 'fake' Yamamoto. Could she even conjure illusions without him?

Mukuro thought back to a shared memory of his and Nagi's, to the grim look on the older Hibari-kun's face as he forced the girl to put on the ring and make her own organs. She could. If her life depended on it, then yes Nagi could do it with great pain and effort.

To create another human being or at least a projection of one; and have it successfully fool many people…was another matter all together.

When she didn't return for a few days, Mukuro started to worry. His communication to the girl was blocked. Stronger than her own resistance. Last time this happened, she was ten years in the future. Something different this time, Mukuro could feel it. Darker…sinister and stronger than himself…

He didn't have to wait for too long. Mukuro felt the shockwave go through his body as Nagi's organs were squished, punctured and squeezed.

Panic flooded him, leaving him unable to think logically. Mukuro's only thought was to reach Nagi and pull her back to prevent further damage. She resisted. Fighting him tooth and nail.

'Stupid, idiot girl! I'm trying to save you!' Mukuro said around gritted teeth.

'He's too strong, please don't come. Please…don't…'

He almost screamed. Mukuro was within seconds of yelling that he wasn't going to let her die. Not if he could prevent it.

Nagi was already unconscious though, surviving on the bare minimum, yet Mukuro found he still had to fight against her mental blocks. She was dying, but fought against his control, because the man who had brought Nagi to this state terrified her so.

Yet, her first most thoughts were to protect him from harm.

What a messed up sense of devotion, Nagi had.

At last emerging, Mukuro held out his trident, looking the first Mist Guardian in the eye. He didn't care how this man was still alive or what tricks were up his sleeve, Mukuro's only thought was: 'this bastard hurt Nagi.'

No introductions were needed. Spade brought out the cards so they could fight in 'his world'.

Mukuro blinked as the people Spade called his 'comrades' appeared. M.M, Fran, Ken and Chikusa, all armed and ready to fight him to the death if need be.

For a split second, they were real, and then Mukuro tucked away his belief in their existence. Spade only needed a foothold, a fraction of an inch to worm his way inside and break Mukuro's resolve.

Then, Nagi appeared. Tears streaming down her face and begging him to stop and save her life…

He had to laugh.

'That's not Nagi. That's not even Chrome. She'd…' Mukuro swallowed something thick and tasting of bile as he came to a sickening realization.

The real Nagi would willingly give up her own life, before asking Mukuro to stop and save her.

So he turned the trident around and impaled the fake because it was a poor excuse for the real thing. For being the first Mist Guardian, Spade really didn't understand people all that well, for that he was the worst illusionist Mukuro had ever encountered.

And he would die, for trying to destroy Nagi.

Notes: Sorry if it was slightly OOC. I find Mukuro and Nagi/Chrome's relationship very interesting, so I can't even begin to cover all the aspects of in one ficlet but damnit I gave it my best shot –lol

Thanks for reading. And remember, I can always use more character or het pairing suggestions for future themes! Just leave a review or PM as to what character or het ship you want to read next.


	4. Into The Fire

Title: Into the Fire

Theme: Deception

Pairing/Character: Chrome centric, HibariChrome –flashes of Mukuro-Chrome

For: Frost190

Rating: PG-13/T

Summary: TYL ages (but the kiddos all grown up not the FutureNamimori adults). "There's no need to be alarmed. I'm not going to kill you" Chrome said gently, soothingly, only to unleash unspeakable horrors on the man with her next breath.

She was as fine as strands of silk, if left alone the woman snapped under pressure. Thus, Chrome Dokuro seemed out of place among the infamous names making up Vongola's inner circle.

While not a Hollywood starlet beauty and the eye patch subtracted pleasing symmetry from her face, the woman had a gentle quality about her. There was something soft and delicate about her which drew attention if only because of how sharply she contrasted against the men.

So soft spoken were her words of warning that she lacked sharpness and seemed utterly defenseless. Wrapped in a satin dress, with one turn on her heels and a hand clasped with a gentleman's grip, Dokuro lead the way against the noise and activity.

Chrome Dokuro didn't promise sex, but she left a myriad of options open by saying nothing at all, leading those who followed her to believe the woman would give them all they desired. If only they'd follow. Follow…and not look back. And don't mind the cobwebs or the miniscule flash of someone eles' gaze inside her own.

Obfuscating simplicity, Chrome Dokuro led the target into another room. Bolted the door and put aside the vapid exterior.

He was pushed into the chair, eyes wide because the woman shoved him around with much more strength than such a slender body should hold. Dried lips moistened by a tongue tip as dark eyes observed how she looked around the room. Gone was her wide and lost look, replacing her uncertain expression was self-assurance and a spark of something dangerous.

An uneasy smile graced his mouth, a hand offered for her to sit on his lap, because even with the sudden change in her disposition from sweet to sharp wasn't enough to turn off the inherent charm of a polished gem.

Her lips twitch into something resembling displeasure, invoking ire. How dare she…she was the one who insisted they get away because the crowd and ingested alcohol made her head swim.

Before he could protest fully, the woman leaned forward, hands resting on the armrests of the chair so that he's looking at the slight plunge to her dress and hue of painted lips.

"Mr. Verti, you really are a fool" she began, her voice kept barely above a whisper and as gentle as possible, "did you think we wouldn't notice?"

He blinked. Notice? Notice what? Something itched along the back of his brain, primal instincts screaming at him to get away. The balance of power had taken a sudden shift and it wasn't in his favor.

Yet human thought over powers animal impulses. The man casually loosens his tie and crooks a finger forward, trailing along a slender neck and tucked under her chin. There's that look again. That hint of steel, then it's gone again. Just who was looking at him…

Chrome sank to knees, hands still on the chair the young woman tilted her head, as if clueless how she enticing it was to see her tucked between trouser-covered knees.

"We not only incapacitated those assassins you sent after Boss, we tracked you down as the money source." Chrome said, as causally as if suggesting it would rain tomorrow.

Mr. Verti stiffened; he pushed the woman's face and knocked her back. The chair fell to the floor as he scrambled to get away. The bolt to the door was easy to maneuver, yet horror came upon the man as he realized it was locked from the outside.

A masculine chuckle tickled his ears, followed by whispers the woman gave to the person who laughed.

"It's my turn this time. …please let me do this on my own, Mukuro-sama."

Like the laughter, Mr. Verti heard a third voice. It had to be another human, but at the same time wasn't because the sound enveloped the room and transcended the sense of hearing by going directly to the brain and invoked involuntary shivers down his spine.

"Very well my dear Chrome. He's all yours, have fun."

"There isn't anything fun or amusing about this" the woman replied, still talking to both herself and a third being Mr. Verti couldn't see but could 'feel' lingering around.

Terrified of a ghost, he turned around to see Chrome Dokuro sitting calmly on the carpet while fixing the eye patch he displaced in the rush to escape. Verti thought he saw a hint of a red and misshapen pupil to her right eye, but it was quickly covered by black cloth.

A three pronged trident materialized out of thin air. The woman paused to delicately remove her high heeled shoes, muttering that she didn't want to get them dirty.

Then she approached on silent stocking-covered feet. His back went flat against the door, sweaty palms trying to twist the doorknob this way and that.

"There's no need to be alarmed. I'm not going to kill you" Chrome said gently, soothingly, only to unleash unspeakable horrors on the man with her next breath.

He stared at the wall, counting the minutes in his head before stifling a bored yawn. Then, the silence was shattered by a scream of a man being tortured.

Kyoya Hibari heard frantic scratching, pounding and sobbing against the door. The frame rattled with the force of a human body throwing itself against the barrier over, over and over again.

This went on for ten minutes, enough time for him to become annoyed because now she was just playing around rather than extracting anything useful.

At last, a short series of knocks came from the other side of the abandoned office. Producing the key, Kyoya first looked to the woman –her bare feet second. Next, gray eyes traveled to the mafia boss huddled by the doorway.

Mr. Verti was curled against the wall, sobbing and gasping for air. His hands pink, raw looking and blistered from second-degree burns; yet the fireplace was empty of ash and no smoky smell lingered in the room. Though, oddly enough; there was the stench of burnt human flesh.

"Well?" Kyoya pressed. Chrome killed precious times by putting her shoes back on, then spoke up at last. "He was the one who paid for the attacks, but said the Rosario Family contacted him to do it."

Fair enough. The Rosario family was already highlighted as one of the families unfriendly to Vongola. He'd have to go over Boss's head to attack them, most likely the infant would have to give Kyoya the green light to swoop in and make every single one of them regret hiring hit men. How he hated red-tape…

His thought process stalled long enough to watch Dokuro observe the man who was still writhing in agony, looking utterly pathetic. His hands were most likely going to scar over if they weren't treated soon, but neither he nor Chrome were in a rush to call an ambulance.

"You should have just killed him. It would have saved us a lot of time."

"Boss doesn't like it when we kill people" was Chrome's simple reply. Her statement invoked a miniscule annoyed twitch in Hibari. It was either Mukuro or Sawada's word which was law to her, so Chrome never took his advice as how to conduct business.

"He'll remember your face and won't hesitate to get revenge." Kyoya stated from experience. He rarely left witnesses behind when a job was finished, so having Dokuro abandon a task incomplete and leaving a loose end behind irked the Cloud Guardian.

"No. He didn't see a thing." Chrome said before brushing past Kyoya Hibari. Perplexed by her assurance, he stepped inside the room. Mr. Verti jerked as he was kicked then rolled over.

At first, gray eyes blinked then it dawned on Kyoya as to what he was looking at. Skin charred beyond recognition along the man's face, flesh pink and white blisters coupled with purple blotches where flames licked deeper than the burns on his hands, right where eyelids should be.

Dokuro had sealed the man's eyes shut with fire.

…would have been easier to kill him, still Kyoya had to acknowledge a streak of cruel ingenuity when he observed it.

Perhaps, having her as an assignment partner wasn't such a waste of time after all. Yet, Kyoya Hibari resigned himself to withhold passing final judgment on both Dokuro and the infant's 'brilliant' idea of making them team up.

He'd wait until her first kill then see how Dokuro carried on after that before deciding if she was worthy or not.

Notes: Maybe this is a 'slight' stretch into OOC territory with both Hibari and Chrome, but I really want to believe Chrome would use her ability- even if it's powered borrowed from Mukuro- to do other things for the Vongola family besides fight. Cause let's face it, the girl can make flashy yet ineffective attacks. So, I like to see her being more useful as a spy for the Vongola or an informant somehow or even just 'creative' uses of her illusions rather than charging into battle only to be shoved aside by the 'boys'. Anyway, tl;dr explanation, so just ignore this.

Thanks for reading.


	5. The Historian

Title: The Historian

Theme: 2 news; letter from 30_kisses lj

Rating: PG-13/T (hint of citrus content)

Pairing: TYLMukuro/TYLChrome (adults from the future/post kids going back to their time)

For: Frost190 (Again. Since I didn't take into account for their love for 6996 ^^;)

Summary: Chrome Dokuro addresses letters to herself. Or rather the 'self' who will read them ten years in the future.

–

Chrome didn't keep secrets from him. Yet, she hoarded a stack of sealed envelopes and locked the desk drawer containing them. At first, Mukuro brushed it off as just one of the many quirks the woman tended to develop over the years. Many people assumed he 'screwed Chrome up'. However, Mukuro would only accept half responsibility, because sometimes the woman was simply bizarre.

Such as her habit of eating only chocolate.

"Yes, yes. Your organs are special. However, just because you 'can' get away with eating only chocolate without health consequences, doesn't mean you 'should'." Mukuro once told her, feeling a little like the girl's father. ...which led to a very awkward connection. One of the downsides of them sharing a body for almost a decade, Mukuro didn't even have to say where his train of thought was going. She already knew. Which led to Chrome blushing then slamming the door in his face.

Sometimes even he, the man who died and walked the circles of rebirth; could not fathom the mysterious psyche of human females.

And even then, Mukuro had a hunch his 'sweet' Chrome would still confuse him, because as stated before the young woman had odd ways about her.

Like those letters addressed to no-one. Too insignificant for someone else to read, yet important enough for her to lock the sealed envelopes away.

"I wonder what you have to hide, in that secret drawer of yours" he whispered while spinning the young woman out to a tune no one else was dancing to. These mafia people and their parties. Such opulent atmosphere and old-fashioned styled balls, yet rarely did anyone dance.

Mukuro suspected they were too afraid to turn their backs on one another. One wrong step and someone just might stick you with a knife. He had nothing to worry about, because Mukuro knew how their little minds operated and could gut and de-bone them like fish. He only needed an excuse. Everyone present knew it too, they only humored him because of Vongola. And in turn he humored Vongola because of Chrome.

Chrome blinked her single eye in bemusement, "I have nothing to hide from Mukuro-sama."

He smiled, spinning her again and about to pass Chrome along to another gentleman only to pull her back into him. No one else was to monopolize her time. It was only fair after all. A fair exchange of desires. Mukuro gave up his goal of bathing the world in blood, for the moment; so Chrome could enjoy her life. If it weren't for Chrome acting as his proxy, Vongola would have been forced to kiss their Mist Ring goodbye ages ago.

They could have kissed their Boss goodbye many a times after that as well, if it weren't for Chrome's delusion of being loved and needed by the mafia family. Her fascination with this faux commendatory amused Mukuro, so he wanted to see how it played out.

Oh, but she had better not come crying to him when it all fell apart. And it was doomed to break up, Mukuro was sure of it.

They bowed to each other at the end of a dance. As courtly as a couple in the Sun King's era, while the modern world simply stared and shook their heads.

Mukuro rather liked the confusion and Chrome enjoyed his company, even if she could do without the staring and whispers.

–

"You have another lover, but are afraid I will find out about him..." he theorized while helping Chrome unzip her dress. "So you leave the letters unaddressed and keep them locked away."

"No. Mukuro-sama...those letters are private." The plea of 'leave it be' clear in her tone. Yet, Mukuro knew he could get his way. In the meantime, he kissed exposed skin, zipper inching down her back and revealing more until satin black fell to the floor in a heap.

Her scars, along Chrome's collarbone and down her chest. The marks of a cadaver prepared for an autopsy. Over the years her scars turned a muted pink, barely visible, but Mukuro remembered how Nagi looked in a mirror after he busted their shared body out of the morgue.

She traced over those ugly, ugly marks with feminine fingers. Over and over again she touched the hideous pattern, but Nagi didn't shed a tear or moan about being disfigured. Nagi had simply faced herself in the mirror, before Mukuro took over her body long enough to cut the girl's hair and put on the eye patch.

The transformation from Nagi to Chrome Dokuro hadn't been as simple as changing her name. Because Nagi was a scared lonely girl who loved cats. Chrome had to push her way beyond a normal girl in order to be strong. Sad thing about it, Mukuro was aware he changed as much as the teenager-now grown woman.

He kissed the scars.

"You are attempting to correspond with your parents then. Yet, feel ashamed for looking at the past" he said, in a very rare contemplative and serious mood.

Chrome shook her head, fingers twisting strands of his hair. He hide a smirk because it wasn't long before she grabbed the slender ponytail Mukuro pulled his hair back into. He could almost say Chrome had a fetish for his hair.

"I should cut my hair at some point" was all he needed to say to invoke a look of horror on Chrome's face. As if he had just threatened to drown a kitten. Or slaughter Tsunayoshi Sawada. Both would be offenses Chrome Dokuro wouldn't forgive.

Mukuro hid his displeasure by dotted her neck with kisses. He'd indulge Chrome and her illusion of a having a family as long as it amused him.

Train wrecks were fascinating to watch, however this one seemed to be going in slow motion.

–

"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." Mukuro said to himself while picking the lock to Chrome's desk late one Sunday evening-early morning. She was away on a mission with the always-cheerful-Rain. Alas, he was without even the humorously creative death threats from the Cloud, because Hibari-kun was also gone. So, Mukuro was lacking in things to keep himself occupied while stuck at home. Oddly enough, Tsuna didn't trust him enough to be released on missions by himself.

Thus, Chrome's desk bore the brunt of his boredom. Namely, the locked drawer with all those letters.

"Idle hands are the devil's..." he paused for a moment, coming up a blank to the end of that particular turn of phrase. Ah well, it didn't matter anymore because the lock gave under his efforts.

There were forty letters in all. "Chrome has been a very busy woman" he hummed before lifting a letter opener from the desk. He scowled at the words engraved in silver, a gift from one of the mafia fools who thought they had a chance. Chrome would not be bought by petty office tools. He threw the letter opener so it landed in the trash pail.

After unfolding the paper, Mukuro found the contents were nothing he had been expecting. Not even his teasing speculation of a lover or parental was present in the letter.

_July 11_

Dear Me,

Don't believe everything you are told.

Mis-matched eyes blinked. Few things puzzled Mukuro. However, he wondered why Chrome wasted an envelope and letter head, not to mention the seal; just to say that.

He opened another letter. Short one line titbits of advice, addressed to herself each time. Each and every one of them lacked an explanation or a reference point. Warning after warning, without bringing up names or mentioning what brought about these words of caution.

The last letter was dated yesterday...

"All things are temporary" Mukuro read aloud. He felt a sense of dread. Why though? Didn't this mean she was becoming disenchanted with Tsuna and his merry band of vigilantes?

Or it could mean she no longer believed in...

The door to Chrome's office opened. A bedraggled being came in. Her suit impeccable, but indigo hair a tangled mess and eyes rimmed with black sleepless circles. Caught red-handed with her letters, Mukuro simply regarded Chrome as if she were the intruder, not the other way around.

She had forgiven him for worse after all, so this invasion of privacy was a minor infraction.

Apparently, she didn't seem to share his belief because Chrome's face flushed with embarrassment then the young woman turned on her heel and stalked out of the office.

Mukuro didn't call out or try to stop her. He didn't chase women nor did Mukuro feel he had done anything wrong.

–

That night, Mukuro found himself staring at a locked door. "Oh for..." he self-censored, eyes rolling toward the ceiling before he picked the lock. Honestly. He was a criminal and an escape artist, broke out of Vindice twice, so a stupid door wasn't going to keep him out.

Still, he found it insulting when Mukuro unlocked the door to find himself standing in a hall of doors rather than in Chrome's room.

"I take it you want to be alone tonight." Mukuro said. 'Well tough luck' he mentally added. He destroyed door after door until the illusion faded.

She sat on the bed, pretending to read a novel while looking so petulant Mukuro would have called her expression 'sulky'.

Easing out of his shoes first, Mukuro loosed his tie but left it dangling. Chrome viewed the neck-tie, like his hair, as something easy to grab onto, something which gave her a false impression of control. He crawled up onto the mattress but stayed to his own side. He would not beg like a dog, appealing to his owner's sympathies. Rather Mukuro slinks, then curled as if feline. If Chrome wanted to pet him and make amends that was her business, he would be just fine all alone.

Watching Chrome's resolve crumble was not unlike watching a sandcastle dissolve in the creeping ocean surf. The thin almost frowning line of her lips twitched, only to be covered by the pages of a book. He stretched, body arched to curl around her side, but kept a comfortable distance. Then her right hand moved from the book's spine, inching towards him.

Mukuro rolled away from her wandering hand, finding the opposite wall so interesting to look at. Chrome's book closed with a light thud, rustling of sheets followed as the female Mist turned to her companion.

Mukuro felt fingers filter through his long hair then reaching over to touch his tie. He put an arm around Chrome, pulling her down into a kiss. No apologizes needed because he wasn't about to admit doing wrong and Chrome repented through her actions since words often failed the young woman.

–

"Why write letters to yourself though?" he asked, Chrome's right leg raised and bent before Mukuro's lips grazed along smooth skin.

Chrome shuddered in response, "Because she has to know what to expect...should we trade places again."

Mukuro tilted his head, hands underneath Chrome's nightdress, "And you'd think your younger self would find those letters?"

"If she's 'me' then she would know what to look for and where to find it" was the woman's simple answer.

"Hm..." Mukuro replied, for once at a loss for something flippant or mocking to say.

His beautiful, sweet and strange little Chrome. The perfect little minion who had forced him to change plans. She'd survive on a diet of chocolate only if allowed. She thought feeding Hibird seed would endear them a little to the moody Cloud. And she wrote letters to girl in the past and kept them under lock and key as a test, to see if the one from a previous time line was truly her.

Yes. He had picked up a very odd woman indeed.

–

Notes: I just find the dynamics of Mukuro/Chrome- especially their future selves- to be something interesting to play with, so I think the classic 30_kisses theme fits them very well and want to try it as a self-challenge (along with everything else I'm juggling, ha). Thanks for reading.

PS: Always in need of het pairing suggestions for this project. So if there's a hetero ship you want to see me write, feel free to PM or leave a review and let me know.


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